Areida's Story
by spritz1
Summary: This story of Ella Enchanted is told from Areida's point of view, but it also tells a little about Areida before and after she met Ella.
1. prologue

Areida rummaged through her trunk, and after a few moments, with a satisfied sigh, pulled out an emerald green journal. It had been her closest companion for the past year and she thought now was a perfect time to read it. She sniffed once, sank into her wooden chair, and opened the hard, emerald cover of the thick booklet.


	2. That Damn Lamb

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My name is Areida and I am Ayorthaian. Although some people might not think that is something to be proud of, I am nonetheless. Today is a happy day, for I have just turned fifteen, and you are one of the wonderful presents I have received.

In other's eyes, the presents that I have been given might not seem too grand, but I am not what my mother refers to as a "Pampered Bottom." "The lords and the kings and the queens, she said. "That's what they are." I can only assume she means that the lords and majesties should learn to be more independent, but I can't help laughing whenever she uses her term.

My family is quite a large one. There's me, my mother, my father, my two brothers, Ollo and Uflimu, and my two sisters, Iste and Ettime. My Aunt Eneppe also stays with us for most of the year when she is not pestering one of our other numerous relatives.

We are all from Ayortha. I do not know why some people do not like Ayorthaians. I guess it's because of the way we look. Ayorthaians tend to have more of a darker skin tone than others do, and we also have darker hair. My mother tells me that my skin and hair resemble the color of cinnamon. Boys from other inns tell me that I look like dirt. I say this to my mother, and she tries to convince me that these remarks were not rude. ("If you have no dirt, how will you ever grow your food?") She did not realize that her comments did not boost my self-esteem.

Perhaps another reason why Ayorthaians are looked down upon is because of the way we speak. Instead of saying things in Kyrrian perfectly like everyone else, our accent causes us to pronounce our L's in words like Y's_._ The inn was having special food being served for Christmas last year, and I was sent to pick up some meat at a new Kyrrian market place. I went to the butchers and told him of my order of lamb, but he did not understand me. I kept on repeating myself, and he kept on giving me instructions to go down the street to some vegetable booth. He became pretty red in the face, and finally called some worker boy to take me away, while muttering about "crazy Ayorthaians."

The boy that came out from the back of the booth was quite cute. I felt my cheeks become a little pinker, and not just because of the cold of winter. This boy was tall, and had floppy brown hair and fair skin. He had intense green eyes that stared into mine when he said that his name was Christopher. "So," he said. "You wanted a couple of yams?"

I ended up talking to him for a little while before he realized that we needed to return to the butcher's. We got to the vegetable booths and he pointed to some odd, squashed, purple things. I shook my head, and accidentally let out a soft bah sound, and Christopher looked at me and laughed.

On the way back he told me that he is an orphan, but knows that his parents had died when he was three. They had owned a bit of land, but had not taken very good care of it. Christopher had stayed with a family who adopted him, and raised him like their own. He told me that he had attended school, but his goal was to graduate from a university, but to do that, he had to work.

He is from Kyrria, but was temporarily in Ayortha, because the family who adopted him was visiting some distant relatives. I told him many things about my life, but I stayed guarded because he was still a stranger. He seemed generally interested about my life, so I decided he was friendly, and told him more. Specifically about the downfalls of being Ayorthaian in other places and we laughed again about the lamb and yam incident. We arrived at the butcher's, and I got the meat, and said good bye.


	3. News of School

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I have not seen Christopher since he went back to Kyrria, but I have not met another boy like him. I have noticed Mother examining boys very closely lately while glancing at me to see my reactions. Even though I am by no means connected closely to any royalty, I will be expected to marry or at least be engaged to some eligible man. I am dreading the day. Most likely it will be an old geezer with rotted teeth. At least it seems that my marriage date shall be postponed for a while. My father's present to me will probably occupy me for some time. It was during dinner when he told me the news…

"Areida," my father called out suddenly as soon as he had finished his potato.

"Yes, father?" I asked as soon as I was finished chewing _my _potato.

My father said, "Since you have turned fifteen today, your mother and I have decided that it is time for you to be properly trained as a lady. Since we cannot afford a governess, we are sending—_allowing_ you to go off to Kyrria to a nice lady training school."

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Why would they send me to a lady training school? I am polite enough on the outside, even though maybe not on the inside. People always say how patient and courteous I am. If they knew what was going on in my head, they wouldn't dare give me any compliments. Why would a person like me need to know more boring information about the world, and how to sew tiny stitches? Then my slow ears remembered the place they said this little training school is.

My heart leaped. _Christopher!_ But wait… It was too perfect; something had to be wrong.

"We feel that this training will benefit you in your search for a husband."

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Ugh, I knew it! This is all some con to get me to marry someone rich and old that likes proper ladies! Telling whomever the lucky toad is that I have attended a lady school will probably also benefit the wedding presents to the parents of the bride! 

Oh, well. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Maybe it won't be too bad. I might make a few friends, and have a chance to see Chris---No! Don't say it! Kyrria is a large country, there is absolutely no chance I will see him, and even if I do, he is probably engaged! _But if—_No! Stop it! Here I am telling myself to not get my hopes up, but at the same time I am still wishing that I were wrong. Okay, I am going to stop thinking about him right now…

Agghhh! 


End file.
